Scottish Executive

Adoption

Mr Alasdair Morrison (Western Isles) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the report on Phase I of its adoption policy review.

Cathy Jamieson: I have today published the report on phase one of the adoption policy review and the Executive’s response to the report. Copies have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 22058).

Ambulance Service

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Ambulance Service’s joint working party will announce its plans regarding changing ambulance stations from part-time to full-time on-call working.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Ambulance Service announced its current plans for the conversion of some on-call stations to full-time working earlier this year. In coming to its decision, the service took the joint working party’s views into account. Ambulance stations at Fraserburgh, Dunoon and Stranraer will be converted from part-time to full-time working in 2002-03 and at Balfron, Annan and Peterhead in 2003-04.

Cities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to introducing business improvement districts in its review of Scotland’s cities.

Peter Peacock: Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) was one of a number of issues raised during the course of the Cities Review. The review's recommendations and report will be published in the autumn.

  We indicated, in our response to the Local Government Committee's Report of its Inquiry into Local Government Finance on 13 June, our intention to explore the potential for BIDs across the whole of Scotland. We propose to consult with business representatives, local authorities and others on the committee's recommendations for BIDs.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what grounds it concluded that East Lothian did not need to submit a formal planning application for consideration by the Scottish ministers for the extension to Aberlady Primary School to be funded by a section 75 agreement with Cala homes and whether such grounds took account of public opposition to the style and nature of the proposed extension.

Hugh Henry: As planning authorities are not allowed to grant themselves planning permission, they are required to submit details of the proposed development to the Scottish ministers for consideration as a Notice of Intention to Develop (NID).

  The Scottish ministers will normally make a presumption against calling for a formal application from a local authority where the proposed development either accords with the approved local plan for the area or has not attracted a significant body of objections. In the case of the extension to Aberlady Primary School, the proposal was considered to be in accord with the local plan and only six letters of representation were received. The detailed design matters relating to the extension of Aberlady Primary School are essentially for the planning authority, taking into account local circumstances and any relevant guidance. The Scottish ministers therefore did not consider that there was sufficient justification for intervention in this case.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the planned extension to Aberlady Primary School enhances the school building or the overall appearance of the conservation village of Aberlady.

Hugh Henry: It is for the planning authority to assess the suitability of building design, having regard to the provisions of the development plan and other material considerations.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in regard to public opposition to the style and nature of the extension to Aberlady Primary School to be funded by a section 75 agreement with Cala Homes.

Hugh Henry: The design of the extension to Aberlady Primary School was a matter for East Lothian Council to consider, having regard to the provisions of the development plan and other material considerations including public representations on the proposal. The Scottish ministers did not consider that there was sufficient justification for them to intervene.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations were consulted before the ScotXed questionnaire was distributed and whether the Catholic Church was included in those organisations.

Nicol Stephen: The information required by the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED) to be collected through the Scottish Exchange of Educational Data (ScotXed) for the September 2002 School Census is detailed on the ScotXed website:

  http://www.svtc.org.uk/scotxed/.

  Most of this information is already routinely collected by schools and local authorities and held on existing management information systems.

  As a result, there is no "ScotXed questionnaire" as such, although, at the request of local authorities, SEED produced a template to assist schools and local authorities with the collection of information on the ethnic background and national identity of pupils. A number of local authorities have decided to adapt this template to collect additional information for their own internal use on main home language and religious affiliation.

  SEED does not collect this additional information, which is purely a matter for the local authority concerned. Accordingly, we have not included the Catholic Church or other religious institutions in consultations on ScotXed.

  The strategic planning for the ScotXed project is undertaken by the School Education Information Advisory Group (SEIAG), which has endorsed plans for the 2002 Scottish School Census and beyond. The SEIAG membership includes representatives of: the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, COSLA, the Headteacher’s Association of Scotland, the Association of Head Teachers in Scotland, the Educational Institute of Scotland, the Scottish Secondary Teacher’s Association, the Scottish Qualifications Authority, Learning and Teaching Scotland, and HM Inspectorate of Education.

  Consultations have also taken place with the Scottish Council of Independent Schools, the Scottish Parent Teacher Council and with the Scottish School Board Association who have publicly welcomed the project. Regular consultations take place with each local authority.

Highlands and Islands Airports

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) has had any discussions with Omniport plc about appointing that company to manage any of the airports operated by HIAL and what the outcome was of any such discussions.

Lewis Macdonald: Scottish Executive officials met representatives of Omniport in July 2001, at their request, when Omniport raised the issue of private sector involvement in the management of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL). No further meeting has been held and the Executive has no plans to transfer HIAL airports from public ownership. Representatives of HIAL meet other airport operators, including the operators of Prestwick Airport, on a regular basis to discuss matters of mutual interest.

Highlands and Islands Airports

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered any proposals to contract out the management of all or any of the airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd and, if so, what proposals have been considered.

Lewis Macdonald: Scottish ministers considered but were not persuaded by the business case submitted by Shetland Islands Council for taking over responsibility for Sumburgh Airport. No other proposals have been made.

Highlands and Islands Airports

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would consider offering a local authority the opportunity to take over the management of airports owned by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd sited in the authority’s area.

Lewis Macdonald: Scottish ministers have already considered but were not persuaded by the business case submitted by Shetland Islands Council for taking over responsibility of Sumburgh Airport. The Scottish Executive has no plans to seek such business cases from other authorities.

Highlands and Islands Airports

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its long-term plans are for the management of airports owned by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.

Lewis Macdonald: Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd will continue to operate within the public sector and the Scottish Executive will continue to ensure the efficient and effective use of public funds.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25928 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 5 June 2002, what expenses have been paid to witnesses inconvenienced by an adjournment of trial in (a) the High Court of Justiciary, (b) the sheriff court in each sheriff court district and (c) each district court in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25928 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 5 June 2002, what estimate it has made of wasted expenditure in respect of staff time in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service owing to adjournment of trials on the date of trial in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by the Benefits Agency, (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the agency and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by the British Standards Institute (BSI), (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the BSI and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by the Child Support Agency (CSA), (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the CSA and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by the Civil Aviation Authority, (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the authority and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the department and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by the Department of Trade and Industry's Companies Investigation Branch, (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the branch and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the DVLA and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the FSA and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the HSE and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by HM Customs and Excise, (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of HM Customs and Excise and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by HM Industrial Pollution Inspectorate, (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the inspectorate and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by the Inland Revenue, (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the Inland Revenue and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by the Law Society of Scotland, (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the society and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by local authorities, (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the authority and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by the Vehicle Inspectorate, (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the inspectorate and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of SNH and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: This information is not available.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-25923 and S1W-25919 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 5 June 2002, what specific steps the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is taking to address timeliness of reporting with (a) the police and (b) other agencies.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: We are at the early stages of discussion of service level agreements or protocols with the police, which will build upon less formal discussions which have taken place over many years. Timeliness of reporting is discussed where appropriate with other reporting agencies as part of the normal liaison process.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to reports to the Procurator Fiscal by the Data Protection Registrar, (a) how many such reports the Procurator Fiscal has received, (b) how many cases have (i) been marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay on the part of the registrar and (ii) proceeded to trial and (c) how many convictions were secured in (1) 1998-99, (2) 1999-2000, (3) 2000-01 and (4) 2001-02.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: This information is not available. The Data Protection Registrar is now the Information Commissioner.

Livestock

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek a derogation from any proposed ban by the European Union on the transportation of livestock by sea when wind speeds are Force 5 or over.

Ross Finnie: The EU has not, as yet, put forward any new welfare proposals involving the welfare of animals during transport. When the EU does proceed, all aspects will be considered carefully from a Scottish perspective.

Planning

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how often it has waived the need for local authorities to submit a formal planning application for development of an authority’s own buildings since 1 July 1999 and what criteria it uses in order to reach such a decision.

Hugh Henry: The Notice of Intention to Develop (NID) procedure applies where a local authority requires planning permission for a development which it proposes to carry out. Where an objection is received, the authority is required to submit details of the proposal for consideration by the Scottish ministers. There is a presumption against requiring a local authority to submit a formal planning application unless the proposal is contrary to the local plan or has attracted a substantial body of objections.

  However, the NID submissions can cover a wide range of local authority developments, including many that do not involve buildings (for example, car parks, roads and sewers). Details of NID submissions that relate only to buildings are not held separately and could therefore only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Furthermore, not all local authority developments are notified through the NID procedure. In cases where developments are to benefit from an element of private funding, the applicant may not be the local authority and therefore the NID procedure is not appropriate. These developments are subject to normal planning application procedures. It would be difficult to identify specifically which of these applications involved local authority buildings and again this information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26058 by Mr Jim Wallace on 5 June 2002, why the question was referred to the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service for answer, given that it related to the factual basis of the answer to question S1W-25236 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 May 2002.

Mr Jim Wallace: Question S1W-26058 related to an internal Scottish Prison Service (SPS) management matter, namely who within SPS had prepared the report referred to. Question S1W-25236 asked when the Executive had received that report from SPS and was therefore answered by me.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer,  further to the statement made by a Parliament spokesman on 10 September 2001 that "we have been aware for a number of weeks through our construction managers (Bovis Lend Lease) of some difficulties within Flour City relating to worldwide financial and management restructuring", on what date the construction managers first provided information of such difficulties; to whom this information was given; what information was provided, and whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will arrange for any relevant details to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sir David Steel: : In late July 2001, Bovis Lend Lease advised the Project Team, of financial difficulties emanating from Flour City projects within the far east, and consequential management restructuring to manage the financial situation. The latest position was discussed at the Holyrood Progress Group at their next meeting at the beginning of August, and formally reported to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) at their meeting at the end of that month. The Parliament has received legal advice that documents should not mean time be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre for reasons I have repeatedly given.